Sugar Addiction

corinnakuwa
corinnakuwa Posts: 1
edited 4:35AM in Social Groups
Anyone else with a sugar addiction?? I'm always binging. I can't even go a week without indulging in some kind of candy. What are your weaknesses and how have you overcome them?
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Replies

  • johloz
    johloz Posts: 176 Member
    One year I gave up all sugar (except for what is naturally in fruits and veggies) and artificial sweeteners for lent. It was the most difficult thing I've ever done. I had awful withdrawal symptoms and unbearable cravings for the first two weeks, to the point where I dreamt every night about candy and chocolate shops. After the first two or three weeks, it started getting better. At the end, I didn't crave sugary foods any more. I didn't eat anything with sugar until after about a week after it was over. I had a very small brownie, and had a stomach ache the rest of the day. Unfortunately I kept eating sugar and didn't keep up my discipline, but during that time I lost 15lbs.

    I think my best suggestion is to eat fresh fruit whenever you are craving something sweet. Yes, fruit is stil high in sugar, but it's not processed and has a lot of other good-for-you benefits. On top of that, it's usually not as sweet as cake or candy or artificial sweeteners, which helps your pallet to adjust to less sweet foods.
  • JESSiCA26x
    JESSiCA26x Posts: 2 Member
    I have a weakness in that if there are sugary or sweet treats around, I will eat them, but I won't go out and by them myself. But once someone in my household buys a package of cookies its game over, I'll eat 4-5-6 and never get sick of them but will feel very guilty. I've only found if I don't keep them around I won't crave them, but that doesn't always seem to work. I'm considering baking some healthy treats myself (found a good recipe for paleo pumpkin spice protein bars) so we'll see how that works :)
  • hisfitwife11
    hisfitwife11 Posts: 20 Member
    This is me and why I am back on mfp! I am still relatively a small woman..110 at 5' 5". But the crap I eat makes me feel sluggish, tired and just down right awful. I love Dunkin Donuts, Ice Coffee, Candy Bars..every day!

    I will be 41 in late October and my eating habits in the last year have been the worst ever. I was 104 about a year and a half ago and much better shape. I would be called skinny fat..i guess that's the term and I stopped working out about 5 months ago due to surgery and never started back.

    My weight seems to be depositing around my waist to what I call my fat roll..just looks awful and being at the beach the other day and for the first time embarrassed at the shape of my body. Not wanting to take my shorts off because of the fat roll. I literally an addicted to sugar. I am fighting the urge to go get my coffee and add my coconut liquid creamer i bought yesterday! UGGG!!:frown:
  • Livmoore1
    Livmoore1 Posts: 8
    Sugar is a total weakness of mine! I have always known that I struggle with unhealthy sugars (chocolate especially!) but now that I'm tracking my diet, I have been surprised by the amount of "healthy" sugars I've been eating as well. Sugars are primarily where my access calories are coming from. I also notice that sugars effect my mood, energy levels, and since getting a concussion they have been causing major migraines. The migraines forces me to cut back on the unhealthy ones but I'm still consuming far too much. This is such a huge problem area for me too!
  • I've been a sugar addict since before I can remember. My mother never gave me sugar but one day my grandmother slipped me a bite of cake when I was less than a year old and that was it. Game over. Before MFP I ate half or over half my calories in sugar. If it wasn't in the house I would find substitutes like baking ingedients, plain white sugar, ANYTHING. it was aweful and after quiting volleyball I gained 15-20 lbs. I most likely ate 3000+ calories a day. I could eat the sweetest sweets and still want more. When people claimed that something was too sweet I thought something was wrong with THEM. This past few months on MFP have completely changed my eating habits. I still have insane binge days but they are coming less frequently. I've only lost about 7-10lbs but if you look at where I was headed and how I changed my lifestyle so radically its been the best change I've ever made.

    And many of you are right about eating fruit instead.Definitely overcomes the cravings.
  • ralbritton
    ralbritton Posts: 1 Member
    WALK AWAY is like exercise! You can burn 120 calories in 5 seconds flat :). Or 300+ calories, depending on how many chocolate chip cookies you normally indulge in.:laugh:
  • Camilletherealdeal
    Camilletherealdeal Posts: 26 Member
    Word. I am totally addicted to sugar too. I am gluten intolerant, and eat a lot of fruit and granola bars...hard to find GF on-the-go snacks. Anyway, I go over my sugar every day! So I am being more creative with food. I've cut sugar out before for brief periods of time on other diet plans, it's like caffeine...really only takes a few days or a week to get rid of BAD cravings. You don't have to actually suffer for 2 or 3 whole weeks, just try to avoid temptations. So if we just get through a few weeks, it will be much easier! Best of luck to you...if you find a trick that helps, please post it!
  • erin023
    erin023 Posts: 123 Member
    Major sugar addiction here. That's why I keep my diary private ;)
  • SUGAR IS MY ADDICTION!!! I love sugar, sugar, and more sugar! LOL I have tried to keep it under control by eating sugar free candy and sugar free chocolates. I also eat carb smart fudge bars and carb smart vanilla ice cream which use artifical sweeteners. It does help my cravings but sometimes I still fall short and eat sugar but I don't eat as much as i used too!
  • I thought I was the only one! I have been really on not consuming so much sugar for the last 4-5 months and when I do I actully get horrible headaches! It makes me get back on track as well if I fall of the wagon. I thought it was just my body. I wonder why your body does that though? Any thoughts?
  • EllyG08
    EllyG08 Posts: 194 Member
    My name is Ellen and I'm a sugar addict *hangs head*. LOL....I love sweets (as you can see from my diary). Until I can cut out the processed sugar, I will just work out more often.

    I think you just have to find a balance. But eventually I want to tighten up my abs and I know that the treats will have to decrease significantly.
  • EllyG08
    EllyG08 Posts: 194 Member
    WALK AWAY is like exercise! You can burn 120 calories in 5 seconds flat :). Or 300+ calories, depending on how many chocolate chip cookies you normally indulge in.:laugh:

    Gotta remember this the next time I'm in a house with mini bundt cakes (my latest vice). :love:
  • SRR15
    SRR15 Posts: 23 Member
    I'm also a sugar addict! Cookies, brownies, chocolate candy, you name it. I love to try out new baking recipes and sadly, I've had to give up a lot of my faves that are just super unhealthy. I've been trying to bake more naturally-sweetened treats, like fruit-based baked goods. I was on South Beach about a year and a half ago and I was able to cut out so much of processed sugar foods! But, now I've fallen back into the habit, hence why I'm back on MFP. I'm trying to eat more fruit and natural sweeteners like honey. Hoping that will curb my sugar addiction. :)
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    I'm an artificial sweetener addict! I buy the packs of sweetener w/ xylitol packets at my grocery store and will have 5-8 a day my highest being like 15! D:
  • kajpen
    kajpen Posts: 120 Member
    I was a total sugar addict. It got worse after being diagnosed with celiac's disease. After having to cut out gluten, wheat, and eventually all grains, I switched my focus to sugar and potatoes (which the body converts to sugar). And even though I cut out all breads, pastas, etc I ended up GAINING weight because of the sugar. I felt like crap, my skin looked like crap, and I was ruled by my next sugar "hit".

    I ended up reading a book about sugar addiction and everything it was saying pointed directly to me and the way I acted and felt. So I made a decision then and there and I quit all sugar (even the fake stuff) cold turkey three months ago. The first week was awful!! I was soooo sick! Headaches, shakes, no energy, crabby... all signs of drug withdrawal. It was really crazy! I have a brother who suffers from drug abuse and I have watched him detox several times. And I realized that I was going through the same type of withdrawals as he did. That was a big wake up call for me. And it really cemented the fact that I didn't want to be ruled by sugar anymore.

    I still get my sweet treats... I just do it by eating fruits. I will slice up an apple, toss it with some cinnamon and nutmeg and bake it with some coconut oil. After I take it out of the oven I top it with crushed walnuts. It is divine!! And NO added sugars! :-) I will also buy the darkest chocolate I can find (the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it has in it)... melt it and dip strawberries in it. Both of these desserts satisfy my sweet tooth and don't bring back the sugar addiction.

    It's not an easy road, but it's been a worthwhile one. I have lost 12 pounds, have tons of energy, my skin looks awesome now, no more headaches, no more hypoglycemia... the list goes on and on.

    I'm not trying to tell anyone to do what I did... just wanted to let you know my story and the benefits I derived by finally kicking the habit. :-)
  • StaceyG221
    StaceyG221 Posts: 31
    Me too for sure! My biggest problem is Mountain Dew...I have been known to drink 8 Dew's a day! I actually was able to cut it down to 4 or 5 and now I am trying again. I have had no more than 2 a day for the last 3 days. I also love chocolate and cakes and cookies and brownies...LOL! My mom was a huge home made baker, she could bake anything from scratch and she did. But my dews are the hardest for me to give up, especially since I hate water. :laugh:
  • sicchi
    sicchi Posts: 189 Member
    Major sugar addiction here. That's why I keep my diary private ;)

    I feel ya sista!
  • sicchi
    sicchi Posts: 189 Member
    Me too.... i binge all the time and then hate myself and skip meals ect.... its so bad. I did atkins and completely cut out all sugars for months and then when I started to introduce carbs again (including fruits and sugars), my body just went crazy for it and now if I taste it i binge. All my diet/exercise efforts are steller, but this sugar problem is why I cant lose ANY weight. Friend me if you need support for sugar addiction, as i sure as hell do :) and if anyone has a method for when a craving is too strong to handle please share!
  • sicchi
    sicchi Posts: 189 Member
    I was a total sugar addict. It got worse after being diagnosed with celiac's disease. After having to cut out gluten, wheat, and eventually all grains, I switched my focus to sugar and potatoes (which the body converts to sugar). And even though I cut out all breads, pastas, etc I ended up GAINING weight because of the sugar. I felt like crap, my skin looked like crap, and I was ruled by my next sugar "hit".

    I ended up reading a book about sugar addiction and everything it was saying pointed directly to me and the way I acted and felt. So I made a decision then and there and I quit all sugar (even the fake stuff) cold turkey three months ago. The first week was awful!! I was soooo sick! Headaches, shakes, no energy, crabby... all signs of drug withdrawal. It was really crazy! I have a brother who suffers from drug abuse and I have watched him detox several times. And I realized that I was going through the same type of withdrawals as he did. That was a big wake up call for me. And it really cemented the fact that I didn't want to be ruled by sugar anymore.

    I still get my sweet treats... I just do it by eating fruits. I will slice up an apple, toss it with some cinnamon and nutmeg and bake it with some coconut oil. After I take it out of the oven I top it with crushed walnuts. It is divine!! And NO added sugars! :-) I will also buy the darkest chocolate I can find (the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it has in it)... melt it and dip strawberries in it. Both of these desserts satisfy my sweet tooth and don't bring back the sugar addiction.

    It's not an easy road, but it's been a worthwhile one. I have lost 12 pounds, have tons of energy, my skin looks awesome now, no more headaches, no more hypoglycemia... the list goes on and on.

    I'm not trying to tell anyone to do what I did... just wanted to let you know my story and the benefits I derived by finally kicking the habit. :-)


    omg my skin was amazing when i cut out sugar and did atkins. I thought with the saturated fat I was eating, it would break out like crazy, but acne, all gone! Oh how I miss that. You would think it would be an incentive :(
  • Camilletherealdeal
    Camilletherealdeal Posts: 26 Member
    I thought I was the only one! I have been really on not consuming so much sugar for the last 4-5 months and when I do I actully get horrible headaches! It makes me get back on track as well if I fall of the wagon. I thought it was just my body. I wonder why your body does that though? Any thoughts?

    As far as the headaches, everyone's body is different, and there are definitely several things that could cause them. It could be something like a "sugar hangover," which is basically dehydration; after all, alcohol turns in to sugar when processed. Also, the way your body metabolizes sugar involves your endocrine (hormonal), system which uses different hormones to regulate blood sugar. It is possible that after not eating sugar for a while and then eating a bunch at a time can throw your hormones off balance and cause a headache, and would also explain why sugar can make people break out (in other posts). So, as everyone's hormones are different, some people may be more sensitive to sugar than others, it sounds like that may be the case with you, but you didn't know it until you cut sugar out. There are certainly more causes, the body is a pretty complicated thing :happy:
  • cr1111dn
    cr1111dn Posts: 13 Member
    hi, my name is clara and i'm a sugar addict as well! it works for me drink black coffee (without any sugar added) instead. also hot chocolate made from sugar-free cocoa powder and hot water is good, because it has a bitter taste. but mostly i just try to keep sweets out of sight if possible!:)
  • 1nr15
    1nr15 Posts: 155
    I have the same problem... I cannot go more than one week without having some kind of sugar (donuts,cupcakes,icing...). That is why I rejoined mfp... For me the cravings happen at night after an entire day of eating healthy. My nutritionist told me to eat more carbs at dinner. I tried it this past week and it worked well. Unfortunately, I was only able to actually do it 3 out of the 7 days. My nutritionist also told me eat to eat a piece of fruit or chew gum before I go to bed. We should make a group to do like a month or something binge/sugar free.
  • Dimpszz
    Dimpszz Posts: 40
    We should make a group to do like a month or something binge/sugar free.

    I completely agree. I'm okay at avoiding sugar until I get to work. I work with children so my downfall is during their snack time. I am surrounded with FREE yummy snacks provided for us by the school so the temptation is awful.
    What has help me overcome the temptation is bringing my own tasty healthy snacks.
  • NikeBody
    NikeBody Posts: 12
    Never use to care about sweets when I was younger. I use to hate cake, sweet candies, and especially cookies. But now that I'm older I love cakes, cookies, and bakery items (especially the carrot cake and walnut cookies at Veggie Grill). My temptation at the moment are vegan energy bars. I've resisted them for the past couples of days, and I'm proud of that. I notice if I keep sweet fruits around the house, and when I'm out, I'll indulge in those instead. Like sweet strawberries, bananas, grapes, nectarines, and dates.
  • white_amanda
    white_amanda Posts: 1 Member
    Hi

    I was a coplete sugar addict until I did 5 x day, Phase 1 of the Harcombe diet. For 5 days you eat vegetables and real food - eggs, fresh meat etc. no fruit, dairy, coffee, processed foods, any packed game with any sugars etc. Just water and herbal tea for drinks.

    In 5 days you will have no cravings for sugar sweets or cookies etc.

    It works and you lose many pounds too!
  • markovicj
    markovicj Posts: 10 Member
    I'm in that club too!

    What I'm trying to do is pick one event/month where I can indulge my sweet tooth. Also, I eat 85% Green & Black's organic chocolate, a few squares every day to keep me satisfied. Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't. ; )
  • ines25
    ines25 Posts: 107 Member
    i love sugar with a passion im an addict but now that im trying to loose weight im no eating as much and im so happy but i got a secret weapon i take cinamon pills 3 time a day with my meals it keep sugar level steady which is great it works i also stop drinking diet soda and my ice coffe i make it my self this is how i make it

    1/2 cup almond milk unsweetened
    2cups of flavor coffe(which has no sugar anyflavor u like)
    lots of ice and 2equal or splenda

    ur gonna love it and only 25cal to die for enjoy
  • ines25
    ines25 Posts: 107 Member
    i also make my own ice teas so i brew green, white or black tea and mix it with flavor teas like mango, passionfruit, starwberry, peach, blueberry teas i love the brand of (the tea republic) great flavors u let it cool of and put ur favor fruits in it and lots ice herbal teas are great for addicts like us
  • I found that Herbalife, "Snack Defense" helps out alot with my sugar cravings. They are normally out of control. When i take the Snack Defense, it really helps.
    i just got it a few days ago.
  • fairglenn
    fairglenn Posts: 2 Member
    I also love sugar - I had reeses today! I try to eat it in moderation, I don't deny myself. That helps a ton :) Some days are worse than others, but they don't shame me. Moderation.
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